Examine individual changes

'{{Other uses}} [[File:Etrog without Pitom.jpg|thumb|200px|[[Diamante citron|Yanover Esrog]] without a Pitam]] '''Etrog''' ({{lang-he-n|אֶתְרוֹג}}) refers to the yellow [[citron]] or ''Citrus medica'' used by Jews on the week-long holiday of [[Sukkot]]. While in modern Hebrew this is the name for any [[variety (botany)|variety]] of citron, its English usage applies to those varieties and specimens used as one of the [[Four Species]].<ref>[http://www.citrusvariety.ucr.edu/citrus/ethrog.html Etrog page by the CVC of UCR]</ref> ==Etymology== The [[Romanization of Hebrew|romanization]] as ''Etrog'' is according to the [[Sephardic]] pronunciation, widely used in [[Israel]] through [[Modern Hebrew]]. The [[Ashkenazi]] pronunciation as in [[Yiddish]], is ''esrog'' or ''esrig''. Rarely it could also be [[transliterated]] as ''Ethrog'' or ''Ethrogh'' even in scholarly work, which is according to the [[Yemenite Hebrew]].<ref>[http://lib.ucr.edu/agnic/webber/Vol1/Chapter4.html#acid The Citrus Industry]</ref> ==Biblical references== [[File:Musaic.jpg|thumb|150px| 6th century CE [[synagogue]] mosaic in northern [[Negev]], [[Israel]], depicting etrogs at the base of a [[Menorah (Temple)|Menorah]]]]''"And you shall take on the first day the fruit of beautiful trees, branches of palm trees and boughs of leafy trees and willows of the brook, and you shall rejoice before the Lord your God 7 days!"'' ''Leviticus 23:40''. Traditional Judaism sees the etrog referred to in the Bible as ''peri eitz hadar'' (פְּרִי עֵץ הָדָר), literally "a fruit of the beautiful tree." In modern [[Hebrew language|Hebrew]], ''hadar'' refers to the lol [[genus]] ''[[Citrus]]''. [[Nahmanides]] (1194 &ndash; c. 1270) suggests that the word was the original Hebrew name for the citron. According to him, the word ''etrog'' was introduced over time, adapted from the [[Aramaic]]. The [[Arabic language|Arabic]] name for the citron fruit, ''itranj'' (اترنج), mentioned in [[hadith]] literature, is also associated with the Hebrew.hahahahahahahahahahahahaha lolololololololololol ==Size and shape== The fruit is ready to harvest when it reaches about 15 cm (six inches) in length. For commercial use it is generally harvested no earlier than January when it is at optimum size. However, for ritual use it must be picked while still small in order to reach the market in time. The optimal size is also the best for marketability, as by growing larger it may lose some of its beauty. Since the citron blooms several times a season, fruit may also be picked during July and August, and even in June. According to [[Halacha]]<ref name="Shulchan Aruch">[[Shulchan Aruch]], [[Orach Chaim]], 648 and commentaries.</ref> the fruit must only reach the size of a [[Chicken|hen]]'s [[Egg (biology)|egg]] in order to be considered [[Kosher_foods|kosher]], but larger sizes are preferred as long as they can be held with one hand. Marketwise, a nice size fetches a higher price, so long as the fruit is also good in other aspects. If both hands are needed to hold it, it is still kosher, but less desirable. [[File:Gartel.JPG|thumb|120px|[[Moroccan citron|Moroccan Etrog]] with a prominent gartel]] The etrog may differ in shape since several citron varieties are used for that purpose, each bearing fruits with a distinct form and shape. Furthermore, a specific variety or even a single tree may also bear fruit in several shapes and sizes. An etrog of completely round shape is not-kosher,<ref name="Shulchan Aruch"/> whilst a slanted or bent specimen is permissible but not the best.<ref name="Shulchan Aruch"/> The bearing branch must be arched down with care, in order to get the fruit growing straight in a downward position. Otherwise the body of the fruit will be forced into a downwards curve because of its increasing weight. The practice of arching the branch must be performed very delicately in order not to break the stiff citron twig. While many prefer the pyramid shape of [[variety etrog]], and others prefer the barrel shape of the [[Diamante citron|Diamante]], some look for an etrog with a [[gartel]]—an hourglass-like strip running around the middle, more commonly found on the [[Moroccan citron]]. According to researchers, this ''gartel'' indicates when the bearing tree was infected by a certain [[virus]] or [[viroid]], which decreases the [[mesocarp|albedo]] on the specific spot. These viroids have been around since at least the time of [[Simon bar Kokhba|Bar Kokhba]] (circa 130 [[Common Era|CE]]), based on the fact that [[archaeology|archaeologists]] have unearthed a [[mosaic]] dated to that time which depicts an etrog with a ''gartel''.<ref>[http://books.google.com/books?id=6wVtRfI0V8UC&pg=PA249&lpg=PA249&dq=variety+etrog&source=web&ots=MvX5dpgQNO&sig=zCdLJ40fvB4TzUvFKXMahitahvs Bar-Joseph, M. 2003. Natural history of viroids-horticultural aspects, pp. 246-251. In: Viroids. CSIRO Publication, Collingwood, Victoria, Australia.]</ref> Only the etrog is found to be susceptible to these viroids, proving again that the etrog is [[Etrog#Purity|genetically pure]] and has not changed significantly over the centuries.<ref>[http://grande.nal.usda.gov/ibids/index.php?mode2=detail&origin=ibids_references&therow=796030 The Search for the Authentic Citron: Historic and Genetic Analysis; HortScienc 40(7):1963-1968. 2005]</ref> ==Color and texture== The fruit is typically picked while still green, taking advantage of [[ethylene]] gas to ripen the fruit in a controlled manner. The same gas is also naturally released from [[apple]]s, so some growers simply put the fruits in the same box as apples. The ''etrog'' used in the [[mitzvah]] of the [[four species]] must be largely unblemished, with the fewest black specks or other flaws.<ref>[http://www.haaretz.co.il/hasen/spages/1118246.html Agog over etrog, [[Haaretz]]]</ref> Extra special care is needed to cut around the leaves and thorns that may scratch the fruit. It is also important to protect the fruit-bearing trees from any dust and carbon, which may get caught in the [[stomata]] of the fruit during growth, and may later appear as a black dot. ==Pitam (Pitom)== [[File:Etrog diagram.jpg|thumb|right|150px|Diagram of the [[Halacha|Halachic]] properties of an etrog]] An ''etrog'' with an intact ''pitam'' is considered especially valuable. A ''pitam'' is composed of a [[carpel|style]] (Hebrew: "דַד"), and a [[carpel|stigma]] (Hebrew: "שׁוֹשַׁנְתָּא"), which usually falls off during the growing process. However, varieties that shed off their ''pitam'' during growth are also kosher. When only the stigma breaks off, even post-harvest, it could still be considered kosher as long as part of the style has remained attached. If the whole pitam i.e. the stigma and style, are unnaturally broken off, all the way to the bottom, it is not kosher for the ritual use. Many ''pitams'' are preserved today thanks to an [[auxin]] discovered by Dr. [[Eliezer E. Goldschmidt]], formerly professor of horticulture at the [[Hebrew University]]. Working with the [[picloram]] hormone in a citrus [[orchard]] one day, he discovered, to his surprise, that some of the [[Valencia orange]]s found nearby had preserved perfect ''pitams''. Usually a citrus fruit, other than an etrog or ''citron hybrid'' like the [[Bergamot orange|bergamot]], does not preserve its ''pitam''. When it occasionally does, it should at least be dry, sunken and very fragile. In this case the ''pitams'' were all fresh and healthy just like those of the [[Morocco Citron|Moroccan]] or [[Greek citron]] varieties. Experimenting with the picloram in a laboratory, Goldschmidt eventually found the correct “dose” to achieve the desired effect: one droplet of the chemical in three million drops of water. This invention is highly appreciated by the Jewish community.<ref>[http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0002-9122(197101)58:1%3C14:SAITC(%3E2.0.CO;2-I Style Abscission in the Citron. ''American Journal of Botany'', Vol. 58, no 1. pp. 14-23]</ref> ==Purity== In order for a citron to be kosher it must be pure, neither [[grafting|grafted]] nor [[plant breeding|bred]] with any other [[species]], therefore only a few traditional varieties are used. To prevent [[grafting]], the plantations must be under strict rabbinical [[hechsher|supervision]]. ===Genetic research=== The [[citron]] varieties traditionally used as Etrog, are the [[Diamante Citron]] from Italy, the [[Greek Citron]], the [[Balady Citron]] from [[Israel]], the [[Moroccan Citron|Moroccan]] and [[Yemenite Citron]]s. {{Citron varieties}} A general [[DNA]] study was arranged by the world-renowned [[research]]er of the etrog, Prof. Goldschmidt and colleagues, who positively testified 12 famous [[accession number (bioinformatics)|accessions]] of citron for purity and being [[genetics|genetic]]ally related. As they clarify in their joint publication, this is only referring to the [[genotype|genotypic]] information which could be changed by [[Plant sexuality|breeding]] for e.g. out cross [[pollination]] etc., not about [[grafting]] which is not suspected to change anything in the genes.<ref>A brief documentation of this study could be found at the [http://www.lal.ufl.edu/societies/ISC/gcgn/Appendix_9.PDF Global Citrus Germplasm Network].</ref> [[File:Simanim.jpg|thumb|150px|Cross section of the [[Balady citron|Lefkowitz variety]]]] The [[Fingered Citron|Fingered]] and [[Florentine Citron]]s although they are also [[Citron]] varieties or maybe [[plant sexuality|hybrids]], are not used for the [[ritual]]. The [[Corsican Citron]] is no longer in use, though it was once used and sacred. ===Selection and cultivation=== In addition to the above, there are many rabbinical indicators to identify pure etrogs out of possible hybrids. Those traditional specifications were preserved by continues [[artificial selection|selections]] accomplished by professional farmers.<ref>Article by Professor Goldschmidt, published by [[Tehumin]], summer 5741 (1981), booklet 2, p. 144</ref> The most accepted indicators are as following: 1) a pure etrog has a thick rind, in contrast to its narrow pulp [[Endocarp|segments]] which are also almost dry, 2) the outer surface of an etrog fruit is ribbed and warted, and 3) the etrog peduncle is somewhat buried inward; a [[lemon]] or different citron hybrid is opposing one or all of the specifications.<ref>Letter by rabbi [[Shmuel Yehuda Katzenellenbogen]] of [[Padua]] midst the 16th century, printed in [[Moses Isserles|Teshuvat ha'Remo]] chapter 126</ref> A later and not so widely accepted indicator is the orientation of the seed, which should be pointing vertically by an etrog, except if it was strained by its neighbors; by a lemon and hybrids they are positioned horizontally even when there is enough space.<ref>Shiurey Kneseth Hagdola and Olat Shabbat, cited by [[Magen Avraham]], [[Orach Chaim]] chapter 648, comment 23</ref> The etrog is typically grown from cuttings that are two to four years old, the tree begins to bear fruit when it is around four years old.<ref>Chiri, Alfredo. (2002). [http://home.att.net/~oc_crfg/alfredo-sep02.htm Etrog]</ref> If the tree germinates from seeds, it will not fruit for about seven years, and there may be some [[Citrus fruit growing|genetic change]] to the tree or fruit in the event of [[Plant propagation|seed propagation]].<ref>[http://www.sunkist.com/products/growing_packing.asp Sunkist Website]</ref> ==Customs== To protect the etrog during the holiday, it is traditionally wrapped in silky flax fibers and stored in a special box, often made from silver. After the holiday, eating from the etrog or etrog jam is considered a ''[[Segula (Kabbalah)|segula]]'' (efficacious remedy) for a woman to have an easy childbirth.<ref>{{cite book|url=http://books.google.co.il/books?id=cCWnRJg9S_IC&pg=PA134&dq=segulah&hl=en&sa=X&ei=sBhmT4OTGMeo0AWq8vWMCA&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=segulah&f=false |title=Expecting Miracles: Finding meaning and spirituality in pregnancy through Judaism |first=Chana |last=Weisberg |year=2004 |page=134 |publisher=Urim Publications |isbn=9657108519}}</ref> A common Ashkenazi custom is to save the etrog until [[Tu Bishvat]] and eat it in candied form or as [[succade]], accompanied by prayers that the worshiper will merit a beautiful etrog next Sukkot.<ref>[http://www.aish.com/tubshvat/tubshvatinterests/Lchaim_to_the_Trees.asp Aish]</ref> Some families make jam or liqueur out of it,<ref>[http://www.haaretz.co.il/hasen/spages/1118246.html Etrog recipes]</ref> or stick [[cloves]] in the skin for use as ''besamim'' at the [[havdalah]] ceremony after [[Shabbat]]. The [http://www.dancingcamel.com Dancing Camel Brewery ] in Tel Aviv, Israel uses the rinds of etrogim in their annual 'Trog Wit Beer, usually available around the Holiday of Sukkot.<ref>[http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1028696.html The Historic Trail of the Elusive Etrog]</ref> ==References== {{reflist}} * [http://www.ultimatecitrus.com/pdf/tncitrus.htm Citrus Propagation by Ultimate Citrus] * [http://www.ultimatecitrus.com/pdf/propagation.pdf Fact Sheet HS-86 June 1994 by the University of Florida] * [http://faculty.fortlewis.edu/shuler_p/classeswebsites/propagation_2.htm CROP PROPAGATION II: SEXUAL PROPAGATION] {{commons|Citrus_fruits#Citrons|Etrog}} ==External links== * [http://www.greenprophet.com/2012/07/ramat-rachel-etrog-tree/ First evidence of the etrog tree in Israel] * [http://www.citrusvariety.ucr.edu/citrus/ethrog.html The Citrus Variety Collection] by the [[University of California]] Riverside * [http://www.uoregon.edu/~dfalk/courses/ejud/synagogues_files/image018.jpg Ancient Treasures and the Dead Sea Scrolls] * [http://www.jewlicious.com/wp-content/uploads/TM/floor1.jpg Mosaic depicting an ''etrog''] * [http://www.exploringeastlondon.co.uk/jc/index.htm Lulav, Etrog, Shofar and Menorah, 2nd Cent. CE, Ostia Synagogue] * [http://www.hebrewworld.com/goldSilver3_files/2.jpg An antique Hebrew coin depicting an ''etrog''] * Pictures [http://www.homecitrusgrowers.co.uk/citrusvarieties/uncommon3.html homecitrusgrowers.co.uk] * Evyatar Marienberg and David Carpenter, [http://unc.academia.edu/evyatarm/Papers/1218963/The_Stealing_of_the_Apple_of_Eve_from_the_13th_century_Synagogue_of_Winchester The Stealing of the ‘Apple of Eve’ from the 13th century Synagogue of Winchester], Henri III Fine Rolls Project, Fine of the Month: [http://frh3.org.uk/content/month/fm-12-2011.html December 2011] {{Sukkot}} [[Category:Medicinal plants]] [[Category:Citron]] [[Category:Hebrew words and phrases]] [[Category:Sukkot]] [[Category:Four Species]] [[Category:Jewish symbols]] [[he:אתרוג]]'